


Family

by JenniferDallas



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:00:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27884917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JenniferDallas/pseuds/JenniferDallas
Summary: Sometimes, it isn't the family you're born to, but the family you choose that ends up meaning the most.
Kudos: 12





	Family

**Author's Note:**

> This story is geared to those of the female persuasion, but technically could be read as gender-neutral. I’ve tried to use pronouns as little as possible where I can. There are hints that Tsukishima might have caught feelings, but it’s pretty ambiguous.
> 
> Admittedly, this is not my best. I fought with writer's block while writing it, but managed to muddle through. 
> 
> The basic premise is that you're Ukai Keishin's younger sibling, and joined the team as an assistant coach.

As another point was scored against Karasuno, you made a notation in your notebook, knowing that the boys still needed to work on their defense. While they had certainly improved since the summer training camp with the Fukurodani group, they had a long way to go before the Spring Inter-high. It would involve a lot of long days, and you were already helping Keishin plan additional weekend trips to Tokyo to train.

The final point was scored, with Karasuno just barely winning the practice game. The teams lined up and bowed, and as the boys started to clean up, you went with Yachi and Shimizu to refill water bottles. It wasn’t technically part of your job, but they really did need some help sometimes. 

“Thanks for the help, Ukai-chan,” Shimizu smiled as the three of you finished tightening the caps on the bottles.

You nod with a smile, pushing a strand of dark hair out of your face. “Go ahead and take those to the boys,” a grin spreads across your face. “I need some fresh air.” It had been hot and stuffy in the gym, with the overpowering smell of sweaty teenage boys.

The other two girls laugh and gather up the water bottles, leaving her at the fountains near the gym. Moving over to a nearby bench, you smile and lean your head back, absorbing the sunlight and the fresh air. Keeping your eyes closed, you think about the practice game that was just finished, going over plays and penalties. It was glaringly obvious where the boys needed to improve, and where they simply needed time to perfect their current plays. 

“Excuse me?” a male voice that you didn’t know startled you, causing you to sit upright. It was one of the players from the visiting team, one of their middle blockers; a second year. He grinned at you with cocky confidence. “You’re one of Karasuno’s managers, right?”

You don’t bother correcting him as you stand. “Can I help you?” you ask.

He tells you his name with a very slight bow, his cocky smile not falling from his face. “So, do you want to go out sometime?”

“No,” you snap without hesitation. You start to move past him to return to the gym, but he grabs your wrist, forcing you to spin to face him. “Let me go.”

“Come on,” he continues to grin at you, and you want nothing more than to punch that grin off of his stupid face. “You’ve gotta go out with me.”

You open your mouth to retort, but suddenly there were hands on your shoulders while another set of hands forced him to relinquish his hold on your wrist. You were drawn back against a lean chest that, judging by the height, belonged to none other than Tsukishima. “She doesn’t  _ have _ to do anything.”

The person who’d separated his grip was Asahi, and he loomed over the visiting player. Daichi and Kageyama, as the next tallest outside of Tsukishima, glared at the player from either side of Asahi. Yamaguchi, Ennoshita, and Suga moved to stand between you and Tsukishima and the outsider. Shoyo, Tanaka, and Nishinoya appeared behind the boy, glaring darkly. 

“Is there any particular reason that you’re bothering our Assistant Coach?” Daichi growled, his voice reaching new lows as he glared at the boy.

“Look, man, I just want to take her out on a date,” the boy snapped. It was obvious to you, in this moment, that the boy was a colossal idiot. He was being glared down by every member of the Karasuno Volleyball Club, and still had the guts to act like he was in the right.

You felt Tsukishima’s large hand gently wrap around your throat and tilt your head so you were forced to look at him. “She’s pretty, isn’t she?” he sneered at the boy. “So much about her appeals to just about every boy in the school, and outside of it. But she’s  _ ours _ . And we don’t share her with anyone.”

The boy suddenly seemed to realize that he was surrounded by glaring crows. He gulped slightly. “All right, fine.” He held his hands up in surrender and walked away as quickly as he could and still maintain what dignity he had left.

Daichi turned to you, frowning. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” you huff. “He was just being pushy.” You smack Tsukishima’s hand so he’s forced to release you. “If you hadn’t stepped in, I would’ve just kicked him in the balls and been done with it.”

Tanaka and Nishinoya wrapped an arm around your shoulders, pressing in on either side of you. “But you’re our Assistant Coach,” Noya grinned. “And our kouhai (underclassman). We should protect you from jerks like that.”

You laugh. “I suppose there are worse things that you could do to me,” you grin as you elbow both boys in their ribs. They grunted and released you, allowing you to go around and give each boy a hug. Kageyama and Tsukishima held on the longest, which wasn’t really unusual for them. “You all could treat me like the annoying little sister and tease and pester me mercilessly. So your overprotective attitudes are somewhat refreshing.”

“Hmph. Maybe next time we have a practice game, don’t stay outside where just anyone can approach you,” Kageyama growled.

You stuck your tongue out at the tall setter, and he growled again and captured you in a headlock, ruffling your hair. A laugh escaped you as Daichi stepped in to save you, but the captain wrapped his arms around you as well. “Kageyama has a point,” he sighed. “You should’ve come back in with Shimizu and Yachi. No more wandering around when strangers are here. We don’t know them.”

You grin up at him. “Yes, Dadchi.” He huffed out a laugh and pushed you over to Suga gently. “Sugamama, Dadchi’s being mean to me,” you leaned into Sugawara’s hug. 

The silver-haired setter smiled indulgently at you. “Maybe if you stopped being a brat…” he trailed off with a laugh as you pinched his side. He passed you along to Tsukishima who practically wrapped himself around you.

It always surprised you when Tsuki - because he was always Tsuki in your mind - engaged like this. Clingy and tactile and just this side of possessive. When the team demanded cuddles from you, he was always the last, and always held on the longest. Kageyama as well, but his was more to rile up Tsuki. 

As all of you headed back into the gym, your elder brother smiled at your group. You were the youngest; the baby of the family. You had always had trouble connecting with your elder siblings because of the age gap; after all, you’d been a complete surprise to the family. But ever since you’d joined the volleyball club, you’d gained an entirely new family. The boys all looked out for you, protected you, while you kept them in line to the best of your ability.

Sometimes, it wasn’t the family you were born into, but the family you choose that ended up meaning the most. And as you watched the boys finish cleaning the gym, you knew that no matter where you all ended up in life, you would all be part of each other.


End file.
